


Coping with the Nightmares

by Vesuvius_ly



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Nightmares, Some Fluff, widomauk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 06:50:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18566164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vesuvius_ly/pseuds/Vesuvius_ly
Summary: Trent Ikathon is gone, but he still haunts Caleb like a ghost. When another nightmare leaves everyone's favorite wizard in a panic attack, Mollymauk has to do his best to help his lover through the night.





	Coping with the Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> Headcanon: Molly has learned how to speak a bit of Zemnian to comfort Caleb. Also Trent Ikathon is a dick.

Molly hated Trent Ikathon. He hated him more than he anyone had ever known. He was the stain on the fabric of life, the discordant note that killed a beautiful melody. He was as unavoidable as mosquitos in the sweltering summer, and though he was far away, there were times when it felt like he traveled with the party. Like when Caleb flinched at a random noise, or fell into panic attacks after using magic, or woke up from a nightmare screaming. Trent was the cause of Caleb’s suffering. He was the reason for every scar, physical and mental, on the man that he loved, and one day Molly swore that he would kill him. Slowly, painfully, he would slice the mage up until he was nothing more than deli meat. But now was not the time to be angry. Now he he had to calm. He had to help.  


“Caleb love, can you hear me?”  


The wizard next him continued shaking. He had been for the past few minutes, and Molly was debating whether or not he should leave to get one of the clerics. He had woken up to the sound of Caleb crying and shaking uncontrollably. With a few gentle words he had gotten Caleb to stop sobbing, but the shaking had continued.  


“Don’t worry Caleb, I’m right here.”  


“Es tut mir leid. Bitte nicht. Bitte!” Caleb voice rose from a whisper to a yell.  


“Shhh love. It’s alright. I’m here. You’re safe. You’re not with that man anymore.” Molly continued ran his hand through Caleb’s ginger hair, whispering sweet nothings until the wizard calmed down again.  


“I love you Caleb. Ich liebe dich. Do you hear me? I love you and I won’t let anything happen to you.”  


By some force of reason that Molly could not understand, those words were the tipping point that brought Caleb back to reality. The wizard finally stopped shaking and turned so that he was facing Molly in the bed.  


“Mollymauk?” His voice was hoarse.  


“I’m here love.”  


“I’m sorry.”  


“You have nothing to apologize for.”  


“I woke you up.”  


“I hadn’t gone to sleep yet.” If Caleb noticed Molly’s lie, he didn’t comment on it.  


For a while the two simply lay down next two each other, with Caleb’s blue eyes staring into Molly’s red ones. Molly wanted to pull Caleb close, to envelope the man into a tight hug, but he limited himself to carding his hand through the wizard’s hair. He knew hugging Caleb when he was like this would just make the man feel confined. He had to wait for Caleb to show that he was ready.  


And so Molly waited until Caleb was back in touch with reality. In the dark, he watched as realization dawned his lover’s eyes, and Caleb scooted close to Molly, wrapping the Tiefling in his arms and burying his head in Molly’s neck. The change was sudden and startling. Caleb sobbed into Molly’s neck before leaning back to stare into his eyes.  


His words came out rushed and fearful, “Are you ok? Where did he hurt you?”  


“I-what? Caleb, love, I’m fine.” But Caleb ignored Molly response, choosing instead to lift up the bloodhunter’s nightshirt, searching for some wound that didn’t exist. After a minute of examination, he stopped to look around the room and finally seemed to realize where he was.  


“You’re...ok?” Caleb’s voice was full of relief.  


“Yes love, and so are you.”  


Caleb pulled Molly into another tight hug, breathing in the Tiefling’s scent.  


After a minute Molly leaned away and cupped his hand around Caleb’s cheek. “Do you want to talk about it?”  


Caleb stayed silent for so long that Molly thought that he was ignoring him, but then the wizard spoke up. “I-I was back with him again. With Ikathon. I messed on some spell. I don’t remember which. He...he hurt you.” Caleb started crying again. Not the loud, terrified sobs of before, but a stream of silent tears that just screamed of grief and emptiness. Molly would have given anything to take his pain away.  


“It was just a dream Caleb. Trent didn’t hurt me; he didn’t even come near me, and if he had I would’ve killed him.” Molly paused. His voice took on more venom. “One day Caleb, I swear, I’m going to kill him-”  


“No!” Caleb nearly shouted. “No, Mollymauk please…Please don’t promise me that. That man, he is the incarnation of everything evil in this world, and if you were to find him, he would spread that evil onto you.”  


Molly stared at Caleb in shock. “I would never become what he is.”  


“I know Molly. I trust you more than anyone in the world. You’re… You are just so good Mollymauk. So bright and colorful and kind. But his hatred, it is a disease. It will seep into your soul and fill you with fear and just when you think you’ve rid yourself of it you’re drowning in it and there’s no escape and-”  


“Caleb.” Molly said, stopping his love’s escalating hysteria. “I just want to help.”  


“Then stay. Please. Just keep holding me. You are helping.”  


“I wish I could do more.”  


“Molly, you are my everything. Without you I would be lost. With you, I still have hope.”  


Molly leaned in to kiss Caleb. “Then I will be your hope, your colorful beacon of light. I will always stand by your side and protect you. But I won’t seek vengeance for you. Not if you don’t want me too.”  


“And don’t say stupid things.”  


Molly let out a small laugh. “Excuse me?”  


“Promise not to say anything stupid. If you’re ever captured and trapped somewhere don’t insult your captors. Don’t draw attention to yourself. Don’t accept any punishment to save me from pain.”  


Molly was starting to get a pretty clear image of what Caleb’s nightmare had been. “I can’t promise that last one, but I will try my best not be an idiot.”  


Caleb smiled a bit. “And I will do the same.” Caleb cuddled even closer to Molly “I love you Mollymauk. You are my everything liebling.”  


“And you are my whole world Caleb.”  


If Molly were to ever cross Ikathon, then that man would finally get the suffering that he deserved. But for now, he was content to hold Caleb in his arms. His hatred could wait. Loving Caleb was so much more important.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's a wrap! I had to get this drabble out of my head so I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
